Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) lauded the committee’s passage of the bipartisan Supporting At-Risk Children Act on Thursday, which would fight child sex trafficking and take steps to improve foster care.
Elements of the Improving Outcomes for Youth At Risk for Sex Trafficking bill introduced by Hatch were included in the measure.
“Given the challenges plaguing America’s child welfare and foster care systems, (on Thursday) the Finance Committee acted in a bipartisan way with smart policies that will better protect and improve the well-being of our nation’s most vulnerable children,” Hatch said. “These proposals – from improving adoption assistance to taking steps to put to an end to domestic youth sex trafficking – will help foster a safer environment for our young people to put them on a path to leading happy, healthy and successful lives…”
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) contributed to the Supporting At-Risk Children Act with provisions that would establish a National Advisory Committee on Domestic Sex Trafficking and take steps to address foster care permanency issues.
“…The legislation this committee approved (on Thursday) will go a long way toward strengthening America’s child welfare system,” Baucus said. “This committee’s work on adoption and guardianship, trafficking and child support will go a long way towards helping kids to get the resources they need. It will restore hope, strengthen families and support America’s future generations.”